


for evermore

by ninthdreamie



Series: the squirrel and his dearest acorn [14]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Beauty and the Beast Elements, Character Death, Happy Halloween, Heavy Angst, M/M, i basically made the ending of my fave fairytale sad, jeno is the beast and jaemin is the beauty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 10:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21252149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninthdreamie/pseuds/ninthdreamie
Summary: In which Jeno is the beast and Jaemin is the beauty, but not everything is a fairytale.





	for evermore

**Author's Note:**

> i was hesitating to post this because this is too sad for halloween but uhhh tOo LaTe anyways happy halloween everyone!

It was too sudden, unexpected. In the blink of an eye, he saw a flash of electricity and then it happened. Suddenly, a loud roar echoed in every single corner of the long abandoned castle, and it didn’t strike fear in the people’s hearts.

In fact, it made the people scream for joy, raising their pitchforks and torches because _ they won_. Finally, an entity that seemed invincible and could kill them all showed a sign of weakness. Finally, this _ monster _wasn’t as strong and fearsome as they thought.

While they started cheering, a young lad wearing a cape cries. Truthfully, he began to cry the moment the monster got stabbed somewhere near his beating heart, all while he was trying to reach for him.

He screamed his name, but it all fell to deaf ears. And he used to be okay with that, because he never really cared about what other people thought about him. But the people will never know that this otherworldly creature they’re calling a beast was someone _ just like them_, once upon a time.

This person they’re calling a _ beast _ was his best friend. This person was the lost prince of their town that was once the capital of a flourishing kingdom. This person was someone who ended up getting involved in a curse, all because of the late King and Queen’s wrongdoing.

Jeno didn’t choose to be the Beast. He was not given a choice to be who he has become.

But they’ll never get to know that.

“Die, you monster!” The hunter growls, holding onto his knife tighter, raising it as high as he could. Jeno’s heart sinks to his stomach when he sees the tip of the blade shining under the moonlight; if that pierces through him again, it would be his demise.

And the thought of dying in this form would have been okay with him, once upon a time.

Before he could even react, raise his arm to defend himself from the sharp object, Jeno sees blue. At first, he mistook it for the night sky.

Until he hears someone scream. No, it wasn’t the hunter.

The rain hindering him from seeing did not have an effect on him. Not when he hears the voice of the one who screamed, and knows it well, because he engraved that very sound in his heart.

Jeno realizes that the blue he saw was a cape, and now there’s a splash of red on it. He feels Jaemin’s warm hands hold onto him, beautiful eyes wide in shock and pain. The latter’s chest is bleeding.

That shining edge of the knife pierced Jaemin’s heart.

The rainwater and blood were flooding the ground they were on. Jaemin is having a hard time breathing. The hunter drops his knife, his hand that is smeared with the beauty’s blood over his mouth. The rainfall gets stronger, accompanying the beast’s cries.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner,” Jaemin manages to hug him tight, simply whispering. “Jeno, I’m so sorry.”

Jeno hugs him tighter, but not to the point that it hurts the beauty even more. He is angry, however saying such a word is an understatement to express everything that’s going on in him right now.

For most of his life, he thought that turning into a monster would be the most tragic thing to ever happen, for he would never be brave enough to see his best friend’s face ever again.

Who would have thought that holding a dying Jaemin in his arms would hurt so much more? Who would have thought that everything would come to this?

“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.” Jeno sobs when he feels his heartbeat weakening at such a rapid pace. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

More blood drips from their injuries. The beast can feel the last petal of the rose about to fall. At this point, he is beginning to lose hope.

But there is something in him, hoping for a miracle to occur, for the curse to be reversed. Maybe if that happens, Jaemin can still have a chance to live too. Maybe.

His heartbeat is barely felt and heard. Jaemin rests the side of his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes and accepting his fate. Jeno sees him smile, and it’s a genuine one.

The beast realizes that his heart is stinging more than the wound inflicted by the knife. Is this what _ love _is?

Like an answer to his question, Jaemin murmurs, “I love you.” His smile slowly falls from his face. His hands begin to get cold. Jeno tries to convince himself that this is all a nightmare.

Until he doesn’t hear his heart beating anymore, and feels his body getting smaller than what he was used to. Until the clothes he is wearing become too loose for his frame. Until he sees his face reflected in the puddles and all that he sees is not a monster.

The rose has died. He is no longer the beast, but the lost prince.

“I love you too,” The prince responds too late.

**Author's Note:**

> i’ve been on insecure writer fits lately and i hope u tell me that u like it or sumn,,,,,by leaving a comment here :( i’d gladly appreciate it huhu


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